COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONSkullsplitter is an off-the-charts giant of a beer that is a towering product of John Maier's fertile beermagination. Amarillo dry hops give a tangerine-citrus nose that is enveloped by a burnt toffee aroma. AN inky palate with roast and caramel notes teases before the attacking, intense bitterness. Let this one warm in your glass before sipping.

draught. Skullsplitter is a thick, muddy brown and red with a tan head resting atop. Nose of baking chocolate and bittering hops. Thereís a weird flat, sticky sweetness up front with an acidity that is halfway between biting and spicy. It finishes bittersweet and bright with some notes of white grapes. After Iíve finished the glass, I experience a residual flavor of stale cofee & sugar. Itís certainly unlike anything else Iíve had.

Draft at San Diego Brewing Company. I had never heard of this Rogue beer before, so I wasnít sure what I was going to get when I ordered it. It came out very dark. I would have said black but when I got to the bottom of the glass I could see that it was actually a very very dark brown. The head was pretty minimal and did stick around for long. Right off I was thinking Stout or Porter. But then the aroma... Very fruity and sweet. Much in the way of citrus. Now I was confused. The flavor was also very hoppy. It really tasted like an Imperial Red. I would have sworn that was what it was if I were blindfolded. The color pretty much threw that off. All those hops and a great amber type of caramel and toffe in the malts really made it taste that way. I thought maybe some crazy thing Rogue would try with and Imperial Porter, but it just didnít seem to fit right. I did think Schwarzbier for about a second and a half, but I had just never had one so tasty before. I think this should be catagorized as an IMPERIAL VERY VERY DARK RED. This was a great beer. Very Yummy.

I had this at Gravity Head 2006. I was told by the server that it was "like an IIPA" So I order one up. OK, so out comes this pretty 10ozs (thats the only size they serve for the gravity head beers) of dark brown beer with a medium tan head. Here is when Iím thinking ummmm this canít be right, but I take the glass and give it a short sniff..... OMG heís right this thing is LOADED with lusious hops, and then there is a following of roastiness and grain. Flavor is an innundation of flavors that are not usually found together. Huge maltiness and roasted coffee and chocolate along with an intense hop bitterness. Very good beer, I would recommend it to anyone.

draft at richoís gravity head 2006. dark brown/black with a tan head that lasts forever and leaves some lovely lacing. big piney hop aroma. huge bitter hop flavor. tasted like i was chewing on a hop leaf. medium body with a bitter finish that lasts forever. basically this beer seems like an imperial esb. not bad at all i actually enjoyed the brutal bitterness quite a bit i was just expecting this to be something more than one of the most bitter beers i have ever had.

Tastes like a combination of a few different styles all rolled into one and then adding a nice dosage of smoked malts. Nicely balanced, with the hoppiness and the maltiness all shining through in all their glory.

Draft - deep, dark brown body with touches of mahoganey showing through. Beautiful, tightly-bubbled beige head. Iím not getting a huge aroma. A touch of grassy hops. Malty and hoppy at the same time. Not at all what I expected from the appearance. It looks like a stout or porter, but tastes like an IPA with a roasty finish. Fairly fizzy for such a big beer. Okay, but one it enough.

Draft @ Summitís in Atlanta under the alias of "Black Brutal". Looks like a stout, smells like an IPA, and tastes like a great mix of the two with a lean towards the hops. This is one of the better and more interesting beers that Iíve had in awhile, but I would not call it a schwarzbier. Look for this one.

This one is not for me. Way to punchy, almost overpoweringly bright in flavor. Harsh on the palate, as it shocks your mouth. You recognize the class typical of Rogue brews, but this one is not something I would want to go back to.

On tap @ the Grey Lodge Pub in Philadelphia under its alias íBlack Brutal Bitterí. I thought this beer had a Scotch Ale feel to it but with the added bitterness I can understand it being classified as a Schwarzbier. Black body with adequate malts and over the top bitterness.

On tap at the Falling Rock in Denver: Pours a rich dark brown with a thick frothy tan head. Aroma is dry and roasty with a nice hoppy side not normally found in schwarzbiers. Body is kinda thin and bitter with a touch of malty sweetness and lots of flavoring hops. Fairly well-balanced and an enjoyable beer, but it definitely isnít 9% abv anymore.

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